Methods and systems that are able to quickly and accurately detect and, in certain cases, quantify a target analyte molecule in a sample are the cornerstones of modern analytical measurements. Such systems and methods are employed in many areas such as academic and industrial research, environmental assessment, food safety, medical diagnosis, and detection of chemical, biological, and/or radiological warfare agents. Advantageous features of such techniques may include specificity, speed, and sensitivity.
Many of the known methods and techniques are plagued with problems of non-specific binding, which is the binding of analyte molecules or particles to be detected or reporter species non-specifically to sites other than those expected. Non-specific binding events can lead to an increase in the background signal, and can affect the accuracy of the concentration determination and/or limit the lowest concentration that may be accurately or reproducibly detected.
Accordingly, improved methods for reducing the effects of non-specific binding events are needed, especially in samples where such molecules or particles are present at very low concentration.